Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantal Miyagishima.
Hi Chantal, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Chantal and I am the purple-haired, potty-mouthed knitwear designer and owner behind Knitatude. I started my knitting company, back in 2014 and it all started off with my love of making things, which then became too many knitted items in my house, which then grew to selling physical knits at local markets and shops. I finally started designing knitting patterns and sweaters back in Fall of 2016, and I have been making my own clothes and sharing their recipes with others ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Owning a small business definitely has its ups and downs! But for the most part, I’ve had a pretty smooth ride considered. I’ve been lucky enough to have a great group of supporting friends and family who have helped me along the way. Whether that’s sitting at the table with me as I break down because taxes are hard or bouncing ideas for designs off of the lovely ladies who come to my knit night.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Essentially, I create clothes. I love picking up yarn, holding it in my hand, and asking it what it would like to be. Playing with different stitch motifs and casting on has always been a total high and I love getting to try on my creations as I go. Whether it’s a sweater or a dress – it’s fun to watch each stitch become something more.
The one thing I am most proud of is the fact that I make all my patterns to be size-inclusive (from XS-5X). All bodies are knit-worthy, and it’s frustrating to see that the fashion industry isn’t friendly to plus sizes. With my patterns, I love making sure that my creations are available for all body types while giving people the blueprints to tailor things to their own measurements.
My patterns are also beginner-friendly as I think everyone deserves to be able to knit up their own sweater without being scared of messing up.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see the craft industry continuing to boom. While the pandemic was quite rough on all of us, I think a lot of people turned to crafting as a way to pass the time. In doing so, so many people joined the knit, crochet, and fiber community, and I don’t see that really going away.
Also, as Gen Z falls more in love with handmade crafts and as people look for more sustainable ways of living and products, I only see that getting even bigger!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.knitatude.ca
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/
knitatude - Facebook: www.facebook.com/
knitatude
Image Credits
Knitatude
